Engine-starter.



G. J. COLEMAN.

ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION PIPED AUG. 13, 1904;. 898,438. Patented Sept. 15,1908.

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ENGINE STARTER.

APPLIoATroH FILED AUG. 1s, 1904.

Patented Sept. 15.` 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oLYDE J, coLEMAN,'oE RocKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, AssiefNoE To CONRAD HUBERT,l or:

NEW YORK, N. Y. y

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908,.

Appiieun mea August 13, 1904. serial N02. 220,648.

To all whom 'it may-concern.'

Be it known that I, CLYDE J. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockaway, in the Acounty of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful AImprovements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the Vaccompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to starting means for engines not self-starting, such as explosive engines, and for engine driven vehicles, such as automobiles.

It is frequently necessary to perform the starting operation of automobiles and highly desirable that the performance of this o eration may be simple and readily contro lable so that the engine may usually be stopped when the automobile is stop ed for any substantial period of time. T 1e carrying capacity of such vehicles is limited and it is desirable that the power storage means employed in such vehicles shall be capable of storing a very considerable amount of power. Where the engines are of high power and particularly where they include a number of cylinders and pistons,.the power required for the starting operation is considerable, and it is desirable that power storing means may be employed of compact dimensions. and capable of storing a very considerable amount of power and readily controllable to perform the starting operation whenever desired.

My invention contemplates the employment of 'a pressure storage tank containing liqueiied gas to supply the power for starting the engine and the iqueiied gas employed is capable of supplying the requisite power in the form of a gas under the desired pressure when the pressure on the liquid in the storage tank is reduced. I have found that lio uetied carbon dioxid is peculiarly well adapted for employment as the liqueed gas and have devised means whereby it may be readily conl trolled and applied to the performance of the desired operation.

My invention includes power applying means capable of co-acting with the engine when it is desired to apply the power to start theengine, such power applying means being so constructed that the ordinary operation of the engine is not impaired thereby, and my invention also includes'a gas pressure a plying chamber in operative connection wit the power applying means and in' controllable.

chamb connection with the liquefied gas supplying means.- Y y My invention also includes means located within reach of the operator for controlling the supply of gas to the gas pressure applying er. l

My invention lalso includes various improvements in the construction and combination of parts. y

I will now describe the engine starter'for automobiles shown in the accompanying drawings and will thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a general plan view of the engine and starter. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine and of portions of an automobile body, with the pressure ap plying chamber or cylinder and other parts in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of the controlling valve. i

The engine l illustrated in outline is a twocylinder explosion engine of ordinary construction, which, by reason of the fact that it is not self-starting, requires the application of a rotative force to its main shaft 5 to initiate the rotative movei'nent thereof and to continue such movement until the engine is self-actuated. The directionof rotation of the engine is indicatedr by the arrow 4, Fig. 2. The engine-shaft 5 has an outer bearing-bracket 3, and carries a sleeve 6 fitted to rotate freely on the engine-shaft and adapted tofbe connected thereto by directional engaging means, such directional engaging means being shown as comprising a i ratchet-wheel 7 on the sleeve and centrifugal pawls S, of which two are shown, carried by a disk 9 which is fast uponvthe engine-shaft. The centrifugal pawls are moved inward into engagement with the ratchet-wheel by light springs 1 O ,which are, however, not'sufiiciently strong to overcome the centrifugal force of the pawls developed at normal speed of the engine. Stop pins 11 areprov'ided on the disk 9 to limit the outward movementof these pawls. As the pawls are held out 'of contact with the ratchet at normal speed', they will not rub over the teeth of the Wheel, and the wear and noise which ht otherwise result will thus be avoid When, however, the engine slows down orvstops, the centrifugal pawls are moved inward by*I their springs into engagement with the ratchetwheel and are retained in suchengagement g during the starting operation and'until'the 110 self-actuated operation ofthe engine advances the pawls clear oi the teeth with which they are engaged, and then the pawls are thrown outward by centrifugal force and continue in such outer positions until the engine slows down or stops. The sleeve 6 also has a toothed inion 12, which is shown as formed upon t e sleeve, and a power-actuthrough an opening in the front head-15` thereof and having an upper guide-bearing just above its point of engagement with the toothed pinion, this bearing being provided in a bracket 16 secured to the iront cylinderhead and cylinder. The rack is untoothed at its front portion and for such a distance back that in its normal inactive position, as shown in Fig. 2 its toothed portion is entirelyclear ofthe pinion 12, so that it will not interpose any element of friction in the ordinary operationof the engine, the sleeve 6 being free-to rotate with the engine-shaft when the starter is in such normal inactive position.

The rear head 17 of the cylinder is shown as integral with a supporting bracket bolted to the automobile body'18, and a front supporting bracket 19 is also shown which is also bolted to the automobilelbody. Resilient `means are provided for returning the rack and piston to the normal inactive position shown, suchresilient means comprising extension helical springs 21, of which two are shown, one on each side of thecylinder and connected, respectively, to ends oi a crosshead 20 on the rack at their front ends and to suitable projections on the rear head and bracket 17 at their rear ends.

The gas pressure is supplied from a source lof liqueiied gas, which, in the embodimentof my invention shown, is a tank 25 contain- `ing liquefied carbon dioxid, and detachably connected to the other parts ofthe system at the coupling 50. A ressure-reducing valve i v2.6, which may be o any suitable constructlon, 1s arranged so as to control the pressure the tank 25 and lows in expanded condition through the reducing valve 26 in quantities just suiiicient to maintain the predetermined pressure at the low pressure or delivery side of the `reducing valve. The expansionchamber is located between the controllingvalve 28 andthe reducing-valve. 26, and its function is to act as a reservoir oi evaporated gas, to permit ofthe expansion without undue increase oi pressure ci any particles of unexpanded liquid or snow .which may pass through the reducing-valve and generally to equalize the pressure delivered at the controlling-valve under the conditions of irregularly occurring periods of comparatively large and rapid consumption of gas with intervening comparatively long intervals of inaction.

The controlling-valve 28 includes a suitable casing connected by a pipe 30 to the eX- pansion-chamber and by a pipe 81 te the pressure-applying chamber or cylinder 15. An inlet-valve and an exhaust-valve are provided, the inlet-valve 82 being ofthe needle type and being resiliently held to its seat-by an expansion helical spring 33 and being also held to its seat by the gas pressure from the expansion chamber. lhe exhaust-valve 34 is shown as of truste-conical form and opens outward to the atmosphere, its stem 35 llavying a sliding bearing in a bridgeiece 86 of the valve casing. The exhaust-va ve 34 has a resilient connection with its stem, such resilient connection being shown as provided by a compression helical spring 37 arranged between a collar 38 on the valve-stern and a shoulder on the valve, the valve having .a bearing of sufficient length uponits stem to assure its accurate guidance and being held by this spring against a shoulder on the valve stein which limits its closing movement relatively to the stem. The stern 40 of the inlet-valve is shown as entering a perforation in the stem of the exhaust-valve and as provided with a collar 41, which is engaged by the end of the stem of the exhaustvalve after the exhaust-valve has been closed, and thus the valves are arranged so that they will. be successively. operative, the initial movement of the stem in vone direction closing the exhaust-valve and the further movement thereof in the same direction opening the inlet-valve, and the initial movement of the stern in the other direction closin the linlet-valve and the further movement t ereof in such other direction opening the er;- haust-valve. Thus the inlet-valve is always closed when the exhaust-valve is open and therefore waste of gas is prevented. The

controlling-valve 28 is actuated by suitable bell-crank 45 which has a slotted engage- -ment with the valve-stem 35. The bellcrank 45 is pivoted on a lug extending from the brid e-piece 36 of the valve-casing.

A nee le-valve 29, of usual construction, is shown asprovided between the pressurestorage tank'25 and the coupling 50, this .valve being however opened as soon as the tank is coupled to the reducing-valve, and remaining open until the tank is uncoupled. The reducing-valve 26 is shown as carrying a gage 46 and having a regulating stem 47 whereby the reduced pressure may be indicated and'determined.

In the operation of the starter a full stroke of the piston may be employed, if necessary. The controlling-valve wi l remain with its inlet o en and exhaust closed as long as the edall is depressed. When the pedal is reeased and restored by its spring to the normal upper position shown, the inlet will be closed and the exhaust opened and the gas permitted to escape to atmosphere, the actuating-rack 13 being retracted by its springs 21 until it returns to the normal inactive position shown. The `starting operation may be repeated as often as desired, the contents of a single pressure-storage tank of liquefied gas being suflicient fora very great number of operations. When a tank is' exhausted, however, A,it maybe readily disconnected at the coupling 5,0 and replaced by a fully charged tank.

It is obvious that various modifications plying means being actuatable by pressure in the chamber to move it in one direction to start the engine, means opposed to such movement and operative to return the powerapplying means to starting position when the pressure in the chamber is relieved, pressurestorage means, and a pressure and exhaust valve controlling the communication from the storage means to the chamber' and also controlling an exhaust from the chamber.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CLYDE J. COLEMAN. Vitnesses.

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, HENRY BARNES. 

